An old badger crossed the Fort Laurel orchard, making her way to the small wooden shack that she called her dorm. Once inside, she lit a small lantern in the corner of the one-roomed cabin, set it on her nightstand. As she was pulling back her rose-colored sheets, she heard a small knock on her door. She smiled, picked up the lantern, and walked to the entrance. “ Darse, I was wondering when you would come knocking on my door,” she said as she was opening the door. A masked figure stepped nimbly through the doorway, pulled out a small dagger, and slew the old badger before she could even slip out a gasp. The slayer took a look around the cabin, saw that it was empty of anything thing that would be of value, then stepped outside and shut the door. He picked up a torch that was laid on the ground, and lit it with the embers of the badger’s dropped lantern. He swung the torch through the air three times, and looked towards the west grounds of the Fort. He saw a dim light signal the same three swipes through the air as he had done, then looked the north and south and saw the same thing. He swiftly trotted over to the front gate and opened the latch. In poured three score foxes. They were all large and burly, wielding weapons like maces and axes. They entered the front courtyard and made a large semi-circle around the front of the Fort. A large fox at the front of the horde spoke to the foxes. “Alright, on my order, weapons ready, CHARGE!!” The large oak door split and fell against the strength and girth of the huge foxes. The Fortbeasts awoke quickly. The children and mothers stared to scream in fear, only to be mercilessly slain by the evil foxes. The ones that could get away ran towards the east and west sides of the fort, but got cut off by even more foxes spewing in from there. They had no escape. ***** Storm drew her cloak around her, fighting off the strong wind. Suddenly she heard the screams of the terrified fortbeasts. They drowned out everything around her. She could barely hear when her father gave the order to get ready. Ferris snapped her back into reality. “Storm, Storm,” Ferris said,” Storm, what’s the matter with you?” “What, what, oh I’m sorry Ferris, are we about to start?” Storm replied, “I guess I sorta dozed off.” “It was more like a trance.” As Storm started to say something, a bright light went across the sky. The foxes around her tensed up, waiting for their leader to give the order to charge. Jaf Redback addressed the small horde, “Ready? Alright, let’s go!” The group rushed towards the back of the nearly besieged fort. A small group of fortbeasts ran towards the forest, only to be cut off by Jaf’s small brigade. The group fanned out, laughing wickedly at the feeble attempts of the fortbeasts to escape. Storm’s blood ran cold as ice as she looked around at the horrific events around her, and her black paw was clenched so tightly around the dirk she held that it went numb. As a small dormouse was running towards her, she caught the look of terror upon its face. Suddenly, another fox raider bumped into her from behind, sending her crashing into the young dormouse, and plunging her outstretched blade into its heart. She spun around to see who shoved her. Tain- a large, stocky, red fox- stood there grinning at her ruthlessly. His evil reddish eyes were wide with the joy of slaughter. Taking a step towards her, he flicked his broad-bladed sword to his right, slaying a helpless mother squirrel carrying her baby. The small infant squirrel cried helplessly, shaking his mother’s bloodied paw, trying to get her to wake up. “Idiot gentle beast,” he laughed, then turned to her, ”Hey Storm, this is your first raid isn’t it? Having fun? This makes probably about half a score for me!” Tain pivoted away from her, and walked off into the gory battlefield to finish his dirty work. Almost in tears from her fury at Tain, Storm walked over to the dead squirrel mother and her crying baby. Tenderly, she swept the infant into her arms and rushed away form the terrifying mob of the slaughterers and slaughtered. She ran through the forest until she came to a small rocky outcropping. After laying the small squirrel down on the ground, she made her way back to camp, grabbed a large, rolled-up rush mat and a haversack of fruits, vegetables, and small strips of fried fish. Then she went to her tent and grabbed two blankets, a clean black cloak, a dagger, and a set of bow and arrows. She got back to the tiny cave-like outcropping to find the infant sleeping soundly in a corner. Breathing a sigh of relief, she laid down the rush mat and gingerly moved the sleeping squirrel onto it, and covered both her and it up in the blankets. Thinking of the horrific events that had taken place that night, she wiped a glittering tear from her black cheek, and slowly fell asleep.